The present invention relates to a device for placing a fiber ribbon into a can. The device comprises a rotary head unit connected to a frame, the rotary head unit comprising a rotary head with a turntable eccentrically positioned relative to a center axis of the can, whereby the rotary head rests on layers of fiber ribbon already placed in the can. The rotary head unit further comprises two calender rollers connected to the top side of the turntable the calender rollers are slanted relative to the horizontal and transport and place the fiber ribbon in continuous loops into the can. At least one of the calender rollers is fixedly connected to a drive gear which cooperates with an annular surface provided at the rotary head unit.
Such a device for placing a fiber ribbon into a can is known from German Offenlegungsschrift 33 18 944. The fiber ribbon coming from the teasel unit is guided to the rotary head via a roller positioned above the rotary head whereby the fiber ribbon is transported via an inlet funnel to the two calender rollers. The inlet funnel rotates with the circumferential velocity of the rotary head. Accordingly, the fiber ribbon is not only moved in its own transporting direction, but also in the circumferential direction of the rotary head. This results not only in a great mechanical load on the fiber ribbon, but also in an undesirable development of fine textile dust particles.
From the French published document 2 325 589 a device of the aforementioned kind for placing a fiber ribbon into a can is known in which the drive for one calender roller is accomplished by a gear wheel which is located on the same rotating shaft as the calender roller and which cooperates with a downwardly oriented toothed rim of the rotary head unit. The fiber ribbon transported by the calender rollers is guided into a long tube at the bottom end of which the placing of the fiber ribbon into the can is performed. It is disadvantageous that the transportation of the fiber ribbon within the tube downstream of the calender rollers results in a high mechanical load on the fiber ribbon. Furthermore, irregularities of the fiber ribbon transport may occur so that the placing of the fiber ribbon within the can is not necessarily performed with the desired accuracy and neatness. With the prior art device it is also difficult to service the drive means which are subjected to great wear and to replace them, if needed. Such a replacement is necessary when due to increasing wear an unfavorable and undesirable play between the pinion-type drive gear and the toothed rim occurs. There are no measures provided in the prior art to eliminate or adjust such play which increases over time. Finally, soiling of the fiber ribbon with lubricants which are necessary for lubricating the pinion drive may not be prevented completely.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device of the aforementioned kind which provides for a careful and dust-free guidance of the fiber ribbon and which may be easily cleaned and serviced.